Bicycle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-.'Sheet 1.

H. E. DANZENBAKER.

BICYCLE.

No. 440,944. Patented Nov. 18,1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. E. DANZENBAKER.

BICYCLE.-

No. 440.944. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

l/vitmeooeo NITED STATES uniona ATENT BICYCLE.

SPEGIFIQQTIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,944, dated November 18,1890.

Application filed August 23, 1890. $eria1 No. 362,818. (No model) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOWE E. DANZEN- BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to bicycles of the Safety type, and more particularly to the brake mechanism arranged to bear upon the rear wheel and having its rod passing through the tubular reach; also, to improvements in the steering-fork; also, to improvements in devices for adjusting the back wheel in order to take up the slack of the sprocket-chain.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, reliable, and powerful brake, which may be quickly operated, and which is neat in construction and so arranged as to be outof the way and well protected under the framework of the machine.

Another object is to provide for relieving the jarring and jolting act-ion of the wheels when passing over a rough road or obstructions by means of a spring-connection and a long bearing in the forks which connect the axles, and at the same time form a secure and reliable device for turning the guiding-Wheel.

Another object is to provide improved means for accurately adjusting the axle of the rear wheel and its sprocket-wheel for taking up the slack of the sprocket-chain.

The matter constituting my invention will be defined in the claims.

I will now more particularly describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the entire machine. Fig. 2 represents a sectional detail of a part of the same on an enlarged scale. Figs. 3 and 4 represent detail views,

respectively in side elevation and top plan. Fig.5 represents a top plan view of a portion of the steering-fork.

The front and back wheels A and A of my machine are mounted in a suitable framework composed of the reach B, the steeringpost 0, having fork D, the brace E, curved standard G, and the rear forks B and E. The usual handle 0 is applied to the steering-post O, and the usual seat G is mounted at the top of the curved standard 61-. The reach B, rear fork B, and standard G are all connected to the forging F, in which is also mounted the treadles and their cranks f. The brake-shoe L is also connected by a suitable compound lever or toggle II to such forging F, and the brake-rod a extends up through the hollow reach B, and is provided at its upper end with abell-crank c, to one arm of which is connected a rod 1), extending up to the usual hand-lever (nothere shown) for operating the brake. The brake-shoe L is pivotally connected at Z to a collar or lug g on the rear fork B, and is also pivotally connected at e to the compound brake-lever or toggle H.

A compound lever or toggle H is composed of the levers h h, connected by pivotal pin y, and the part h is pivoted at a: to the forging f, while the part h is pivotally connected at z to the brake-shoe Z. The rod a is preferably formed with two prongs or jaws, which embrace the parts h h, and is connected to the same pivotal pin 1 The parts h h of the compound lever II will be made of such length and so connected that they will not be pulled completely into a straightline when the brake.- shoe is fully applied to the wheel. gle-connection H for the brake is quite powerful, and can be conveniently arranged in connection with the rod passing up through the reach B. A small spring may be connected to the rear fork B and arranged to bear upon the brake-shoe to keep itoff from the wheel when not in use; but I preferably apply a spring for such purpose to the end lever at the handle of the machine in the usual manner.

One end of each branch or prong of the steering-fork D is bifurcated or slotted, as shown at e, to receive the separate section D, and the two sections are pivotally connected by the pivot d. The slot 0 is enlarged at its upper end to receive the enlarged curved end (I of the section D. The bridge or cross bar 6" extends across the bottom of the slot 6, so as to form a seat for the coil-spring A bolt e, provided with a head at its lower end, is passed up through the seat 6" and is screwed into the inside of the curved head d for the purpose of supporting the spring and of hold- The .to l

as to give play to the spring.

ing the two sections together. With this arrangement the bolt 6 is free to play up and down through the opening in the seat 6", so If desired, the bolt e may pass up through the curved head (I and be connected above by a nut. I also propose to apply the above-described slot and spring-connection to the prongs of the rear fork for giving greater ease to the motion of the machine on a rough road.

The rear forks B E are connected to a forging K, which is provided with a longitudinal slot kfor receiving the axle of the rear wheel. This axle, besides carrying the hub of the wheel, also carries the rear sprocket-wheel, as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to properly adjust the rear wheel and its sprocket-Wheel p, I provide the outer face of the forging K with a series of inclined notches or teeth r, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and to such notched or toothed port-ion is applied a washer m, provided with teeth inclined to fit into the teeth a, and outside of the washer I apply the usual nut. The washer m is provided with a vertical pointer n, extending to the top of the forging, which on its upper surface is provided with a graduated scale. The forgings K are made just alike on each side of the hub of the wheel, and are both provided with the same graduated scale, so that the washer on each side can be accurately set with its pointer at corresponding scalemarks in order that the axle will be correctly adjusted on each side of the hub and the parts thus arranged to run smooth and true. I have found that this arrangement of the teeth on the-forgings K and the washers m on each side, together with the pointers and scales, give quite satisfactory results in practice. They provide for quick and accurate adjustment, so as to take up the slack of the sprocket-chain.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In combination with the brake shoe or spoon suitably pivoted to the frame and adapted to bear upon the rear wheel, the toggle composedof two parts, one of which is pivoted to the frame and the other of which is pivoted to said brake-shoe, and both of which are pivotally connected to the connecting-rod passing up through the hollow reach, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the brake-shoe pivoted to the rear fork, of a toggle pivoted to said brake-shoe and to the forging which carries the treadles, and the rod connected to the middle portion of the toggle and extendin g to the head of the machine for attachment of the hand-lever, substantially as described.

3. In a velocipede, the forks having the arms made in two sections, one of which is slotted or bifurcated for receiving the extended end of the other section, and having at the bottom a seat for a spring, in combination with the end of the other section extending into the slotted portion and forming a long bearing, a sliding bolt connecting the two sections within the slotted portion, and a spring arranged between said seat and the head of the other section, substantially as described.

4. In a velocipede, the arm of a fork made in two sections, one of which is slotted or bifurcated, the slot having an enlargement at its inner end, in combination with the other section having an enlarged curved end fitting in the enlarged portion of the slot, and a spring and sliding bolt connecting the two sections, substantially as described.

5. In a velocipede, the slotted forging for carrying the rear machine-wheel and sprocketwheel, having a serrated side face and provided with an index-scale, in combination with a serrated Washer having a pointer, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HOWE E. DANZENBAKER.

Witnesses:

E. B. CLARK, ED w. A. Mum 

